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The Alamo is a reminder that Texans — and more specifically South Texans —have always fought for their right to keep and bear arms.

I, too, believe in the Second Amendment and the right to bear legally obtained and licensed firearms, and I further believe that no one will ever succeed in taking away this right from Texans or any other Americans.

Polls show that the American people also overwhelmingly support the Second Amendment right to bear arms. However, there is increasing support for solutions to help prevent mass shootings, including universal background checks.

According to a Gallup poll conducted in April, 83 percent of Americans support background checks as a prerequisite to purchasing a firearm. Most Americans believe that every gun purchase requires a background check of some sort; however, this is not the case. The reality is that these checks do occur at retail outlets like Wal-Mart and Academy, but in states like Texas, the checks are not required for gun show sales, or private sales between individuals. This loophole may be resulting in weapons getting into the hands of dangerous individuals, who would otherwise not be able to obtain them.

Gun sales should not be stopped, but I do believe that stricter background checks, at the time of purchase, represent a minimally intrusive process that could potentially save lives. Additionally, many of today's problems stem from the illegal or black market sales of firearms. It is impossible to stop such sales, but I believe the number could be reduced by enforcement of existing law and its expansion to cover the loopholes in existing background check procedures.

The tragedy that occurred a few months ago in Newtown, Conn., and the shooting in Aurora, Colo., last year, were not performed by individuals with a criminal record, but by mentally unstable and deeply troubled individuals who still had access to firearms. We must be very careful not to infringe on an individual's right to privacy, but mental wellness checks, in addition to universal background checks, before the purchase of a gun, could help to prevent future tragedies.

The continued occurrence of senseless mass shootings is the true threat to the right to keep and bear arms.